A Guide to Education and Training in Scotland
Secondary School
Qualifications for life
Changes in the secondary school examination system aim to increase opportunities and raise expectations for all students preparing for work, college or university. From 1999 the new unified 'Higher Still' courses and qualifications enable students to gain core skills for a continually changing job market, to combine academic and vocational courses and to learn at a pace which suits them.
Secondary schools are the route to work and continuing education whether pupils leave at 16 or stay until the end of sixth year. Regardless of size, schools themselves are becoming increasingly business-like. Evaluation, forward planning and management of resources are major responsibilities for secondary head teachers and senior staff. Managing pupil assessment is increasingly important in the award of qualifications.
Curriculum
Each school creates its own curriculum with advice from the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED), local authority education departments and specialist agencies. Courses vary greatly but pupils up to 16 study English, mathematics, science, one modern foreign language and a social subject. In 5th and 6th years the level of study rises and expands to include a wide range of modular courses in vocational subjects.
Qualifications
- Scottish Certificate of Education (Standard Grade): Gained after 4th year. Three levels - Foundation, General and Credit - awarded by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, using external examination with some internal assessment.
- Higher and advanced Higher: Lead on from Standard Grade to be taken in 5th and 6th year. Five levels - Access, Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2, Higher and Advanced Higher using both internal and external assessment.
Alternatives
A small number of independent secondary schools, almost all boarding, also follow the English 'Public School' system with English GCSE examinations at age 16 leading to GCE Advanced Level.
Statistics (2000-2001)
387 publicly funded secondary schools
244,111 lower secondary pupils
73,593 upper secondary pupils
975m overall expenditure
57 independent schools
11,850 lower secondary pupils
5,687 upper secondary pupils